History Day Flashcards
Einstein
Albert Einstein wrote a total of four letters concerning a new scientific discovery that could result in a new type of bomb being created. When Japan attacked on one of America’s naval base in the attack on Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt decided a new, powerful bomb would be effective in the war. Eistein’s letters played an important role in the creation of the Manhattan Project.
Introduction
The Manhattan Project was a government project aimed to create the first atomic bombs. The project had well known scientists such as Albert Einstein, prominent government officials such as president Theodore D. Roosevelt, and the project was one of the key components to ending World War II. The American government had the responsibility to protect America and its citizens, resulting in the decision to drop atomic bombs on Japan.
Trinity
On Monday, July 16, 1945, at 5:29 am, ‘the Gadget’ went off. ‘the Gadget’ is what the scientists in the Manhattan Project named the test bomb that went off. Scientists in the project placed bets on how many tons of TNT that he explosion would equal. Isidor I. Rabi was a witness of Trinity and he wrote in his journal his account of what happened in Trinity” ….. there was an enormous ball of fire which grew and grew and it rolled as it grew; it went up into the air, in yellow flashes and scarlet green.” The site where ‘the Gadget’ exploded is now known as Trinity.
Bombs
The end result of the Manhattan Project was Fat Man and Little Boy. Little Boy was dropped on Hiroshima and had a smaller layout than little boy. The explosive components were spread apart. While Fat Man had a bigger layout with the explosive components bunched together towards the center which made it fatter than Little Boy.
Hiroshima
Little Boy was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan on August 6, 1945 by Enola Gay. The bomb instantly killed about 140,000 people and injured 100,000. About 90% of the city was destroyed.
Conclusion
President Roosevelt and President Truman defended America by dropping bombs on Japan. The dropping of the bombs ended WWll and therefore protecting America. They fulfilled their responsibility of defending the country and its citizens.
